Donate today to keep Global Voices strong!

Our global community of volunteers work hard every day to bring you the world's underreported stories -- but we can't do it without your help. Support our editors, technology, and advocacy campaigns with a donation to Global Voices!

Inequalities are undoubtedly broadening but the very concept of precarity in Africa is also rapidly evolving. In fact, it seems increasingly odd to try to find solutions to precarity without involving the population who are most at risk of economic insecurity.

Defining poverty

The concept of poverty or precarity is by definition subjective and depends on the point of view. Still, it is important to define the scope of issues encompassed within the notion of precarity to evaluate all the possible solutions. The question is, who are the poor and what are they suffering from?

Poverty is the lack of material resources such as food, access to clean water, clothing, housing and general living conditions, but also intangible resources such as access to education, the exercise of a rewarding activity, respect received from other citizens. [..] when unemployed youth kill and steal right in front of police authorities, should we hold the parents responsible for not providing basic education? We have no jobs, nothing to look forward to and we eventually end up in the streets.

When we asked people what it means to be “poor”, 90% mentioned above all the most common definition of poverty: a consumption level below a minimum subsistence level. Still, a large majority of Dakar residents (87%) also define poverty as the inability to influence one's own conditions. Finally, 84% of people associate it with difficult material living conditions or the shortcoming of human capital. But it should be noted that when people are poor in terms of money, they place more emphasis on the other dimensions of poverty. In fact, they are relatively more numerous among the quartile of lowest income (compared to the richest quartile) to characterize poverty through various forms such as the inability to influence its own condition or in terms of marginalization/exclusion.

The struggle against the marginalization and exclusion is a topic that is now also very present on the European continent due to the continuing economic crisis in Europe. An initiative for the implementation of a universal basic income argues that a basic minimum income could reduce this feeling of exclusion for the impoverished population.

How do we make the voices of the poorest heard

Unfortunately the voices speaking on the various dimensions of poverty are too rarely heard in the media. The proposed solutions in terms of public policies in the countries most concerned with poverty are based on econometric estimates which do not homogeneously agree on their definitions of poverty. Many proposed solutions have been put on the table.

In Cameroon, for example, the minimum monthly wage is 28,000 FCFA francs (1 FCFA= $0.002 USD) and in most cases, it is less than this amount for a maid who receives about 15,000 FCFA. While the Minister Secretary, General of the Presidency of the countries of Central Africa, in addition to their salaries all receive an oil premium of more than 2,500,000 FCFA per day [..] It is tempting to ask how is this relevant to the current discussion. Well, when all the wealth is concentrated into a few hands, money does not flow to all the layers of society and even the most enterprising citizens cannot find anyone to buy what they produce. So no production, therefore no jobs and even when there are jobs, they are paid only 25,000 FCFA to 28,000 FCFA! The number of people who actually have purchasing power is so limited and therefore, so is their individual needs. The lower class of society simply tries to survive while they can and then go on to die quietly.

The debate on aid and trade as solutions to precarity often refers to the fact that the dignity of beings requires a sustainable solution involves personal development and the possibility of living without resorting to external assistance. This concept also emphasizes the fact that many do not consider themselves part of the weakened population and do not feel the need to express a precarious social situation.

Thus the needs of populations in precarious situations are often heard through the media and other NGO partners. The organization Panos has chosen to interview farmers directly south of Madagascar about their situations and transcribe their views with minimal editorial filter. Here's the video of his interviews around the world:

Many activists who are passionate about Africa as “the continent on the rise” believe that it is important that the continent is seen as a land of opportunity and not as a problem to be solved. From that perspective, the emphasis is often solely put on economic growth as a solution to poverty.

Given that premise and the fact that only a limited number of indigent persons have access to the conversation on the fight against poverty, is it still even relevant to discuss precarity in Africa? In other words, does the conversation makes sense if the people most affected by poverty cannot have their say and that the discussion is limited to an exchange of ideas between technocrats?

87% of households in the poorest quartile have income levels below what they consider to be the minimum required for a decent life [..] Yet in Dakar, it turns out that only 12% of people believe that they are part of the poorest quintile. Only 30% of the population is truly convinced of the effectiveness of public policies against poverty. The poorest – the supposed main beneficiaries of policies – are as skeptical as the rest of the population about the results of the strategic implementation (of public policies).

So as to not to fall into depression, Isabelle continues to engage in various activities: active in a partnership between French women and women of the Central African Republic (who share the difficulties encountered in the two countries), she also volunteers as a clerk for immigrants.